Four Taoist Poems

I Scattered rocks lie beneath the moss-covered boulder. They are Tai Chi students resting in the shade of their master. They have learned enough for today - It's time to stop and speak softly to the earth. II The grasses display no ambition. They grow everywhere along the Path with a tangled sense of humor. There is a deep truth hidden here but I'm laughing too hard to care about it! III Walking in the Marsh Balancing on one leg, without a thought in her head, the bird mocks philosophy. I'm too stubborn to get the point. I'll come back next week when I'm ready. IV Suddenly I don't know what to say. Perhaps I should keep my mouth shut. The barren branch knows so much more than I ever will in the Ten Thousand Years.